Pregnant after 35
1st Pregnancy - Big Baby Concerns
Hello all. This is my first pregnancy. Everything has gone beautifully so far, and we're almost 38 weeks. For the last 2 months my Doc has been commenting on what "chubby cheeks" our baby has, and yesterday, she showed concern that the baby may be getting too big. Last week the baby "weighed" 6.11 and this week it measures 8lbs. I'm a very little girl, 5'4" and usually only around 115lbs. I now weigh 144, but I'm convinced their scale is off..seriously though it does jump around a lot. So I talked with her about the chances of the weight being a rough guesstimate and my experience with friends an family members who've had both much saller and much larger babies than what the ultrasound predicted. She said it could be inaccurate, but she said if when I come back in next week and the baby is showing 8.5lbs or more, she's going to encourage me to "pick a date". That's completely against what my DH and I want. I've already discussed natural childbirth with my Doc, and she's good to go, but she fears the baby getting to big. It looks like I have a week to see what the next ultrasound says. Inducing would mean a hard, long labor, and we are wanting to avoid pain meds which I've heard is near impossible with Pitocin. Not to mention, I just don't want that junk in my body. In the mean time, while part of me adamantly doesn't want to be induced I even more so don't want a C-section, and the other side of me wants to leave it in God's hands and trust that He will provide a way. I mean, what if Doc is wrong, and the baby isn't quite ready or big at all. Isn't there something to be said for letting nature takes its course. I'm not even 40 weeks yet, which is actually one week shorter than the normal term of gestation anyway. Just some opinions would be nice, especially from those who've shared similar experiences and support natural childbirth methods. Thanks
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Re: 1st Pregnancy - Big Baby Concerns
With my first, the midwife guessed that my baby was around 6.5lbs. a few weeks before my due date (I don't remember exactly how many weeks I was). My daughter was born 8 days late (naturally). And was only 6lbs. 7oz. at birth! So the estimate from at least 3 weeks before she was born was definitely off.
Good luck!
My sister in law was encouraged to induce with her daughter. They doctor said the baby was atleast 8 lbs. and my sister in law is a smaller girl. So of course she went for the induction. Thankfully she had the baby without complications, but her little girl was 6 lbs., 5 oz.- not the 8+ lbs. they estimated with the u/s.
That said I'm sure the doctor is trying to look out for you (keep you from tearing badly or undergoing a long labor that could end in c-section anyway due to baby's size) and the baby. I guess I would talk to your doctor about if you wanted to go naturally things that could be done to help move things along (I had my membranes stripped with my 2nd son and went into labor less than 24 hours later), consequences if you elect to wait v.s. induce, ect...
Stick to your guns! I am all for giving your body a chance. I am even thinking about rescheduling my "induction appointment" due to something came up.. LOL! No one knows exact time of conception and ultrasounds have been wrong before about the size of the baby. I haven't had any growth ultrasounds since wk 28! I measured right where I am supposed to every appointment. If I were you I wouldn't let the doctors fear talk you into induction! There is no accurated way to weigh the baby while its inside you! Its only and estimate and so is your due date! HTH!
I was told my baby was 6 pounds, my baby was 8 pounds, which is still within normal range - not huge by any means. I did end up with a c-section because I was induced "cold" is my term. My baby was not ready, I was not even dialated. I was induced at 39 weeks 5 days because I knew when I ovulated, even though OB went my LMP which was 40 weeks 5 days. Still very early for a first time mom, I think average is 41 weeks. I think being induced, showing no signs of readiness, led to my c-section.
I was also told my babies would be "too big" for me and I would always need c-sections. I got second opinions from other OBs and midwives and doulas who all said they just can't know that. I even met with many women who were told the same thing after 8 pound babies c-section and had 10 lb home birth babies VBAC with no tearing! My midwife told me it was all about positioning. My first baby was sunny side up - so the pull the "big baby" card is not possible, sunny side up babies are harder to deliver in general
This time I am doing hypnobabies with a vbac. My experience with the epidural and pitocin were pretty bad. Pitocin worked too well....epidural didn't at all. I was in a lot of pain - epidural doesn't work for all people.
Anyway - stick to you guns, and if they schedule you for an induction - don't show up! Just wait until you go into labor naturally. If they call, don't answer the phone.
Definitely stick to your guns but do be prepared as changes can happen in a split second and you and your DH need to have an agreement already in place. Also, keep in mind the doc would never let anything happen to you or the baby and may my make his/her own plans as the delivery happens.
My DS#1 was thought to be 10lbs by my OB and 8lbs by the last u/s 2 days before my scheduled delivery. He was actually 9.5lbs.
Good luck!
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